Because, as they say, a good start is half the battle, so…
1. Xmind
The first step to getting going is to build a good plan. I personally swear by mind mapping, as this really lets you get into the ins and outs of what you need to do. For example, it allows you to visually represent what you’ve got going on and thereby spot faults in your thinking, see where you can delve deeper and slowly but certainly get a true idea of what ahead of you and what you need to focus on. It is definitely worth using a good mind mapping tool to know where you’re at and get a better idea of where you’re going. Xmind is a great choice, but there are plenty of others out there as well.
2. Essay Thinker
Here you can get help with essay writing, so that you can get the knack of writing the perfect essay. You see, essay writing isn’t something people are intuitively good at. It’s not like speaking. Instead, you’ve got to practice, learn and study how to do it better. One of the best ways to do that is to look at some perfectly executed essays. And that is something that you’ll find a great deal of at Essay Thinker. So, get help, get better and get the GPA you deserve.
3. Roomsurf
Another vital part of making university live great is making sure you bunk with the right person. Now at some universities you don’t get a choice as you’re assigned a place. At others, however, it’s up to you to figure out where you’re going to stay and who you’re going to stay with. In that case, you’ve got to check out Roomsurf to find the right person to bunk with. Because if you can’t sleep and you can’t study, then university life is going to be brutal!
4. Unigo
Haven’t yet figured out what university is for you? Then check out Unigo, as it will match you with the best university that fits you and your expectations. And that, with the sea of information that’s out there in terms of universities, is something absolutely vital to get to grips with your future and to make the most of these wonderful years you’ve got coming up. As an added bonus they also include scholarship program, so that you can come out of university with an education but without a crushing mountain of debt.
5. iTunes U
Not sure what courses you’re supposed to take? Then start out with something like iTunes U where you can take courses from all over the world and some of her best universities for free. In this way you’ll have a leg up in deciding what courses do actually appeal to you and which do not. That means you’ll be spending far less time trying to figure out what you want to do during the year, as you’ve already done most of that before it! What’s more, if you keep following the courses beyond the ‘am I interested’ stage you’ll actually get a serious leg up on the rest of the students in your class and be far more likely to get good grades with minimal effort. And that means you’ve got more time for a part-time job or a social life. And that has to be at least half the fun of uni, right?
6. Rate my Professor
Classes are not just the subject matter, but equally the professor that teaches the class. Some people have the ability to make something utterly boring become utterly fascinating, while some people have the ability to take something that was a defining moment in our species’ history and make it seem as boring as watching grass grow. For that reason, don’t just select your classes based on what you’re interested in, but also based on how good the professors are, by taking a look at Rate My Professor.
7. TomatoTimer
The idea? If you can work for 25 minutes in a concentrated manner on a task, you can actually do a heck of a lot. Do it a couple of times throughout your day, without allowing yourself to get distracted, and you’re going to be able to blast through most of your work. And so the timer demands that you spend 25 minutes on a task, after which an alarm rings and you can once again slack off a bit (though obviously, you don’t need to). In this way, you’ll actually get the stuff done that you need to get done and will actually have a plan in place for your first year of university. And that has to count for something!
